Slowly but surely the long dark winter months come to end – fortunately, since this season is reason enough for many people to sink into melancholy. But winter depression and tiredness could actually have a medical reason, namely vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is in short supply in winter because people need UVB rays from the sun on […]
A, B, C, D, E, K … these are the designations of vitamins that are considered essential for humans. They must be available in sufficient amounts in the body to sustain vital functions. One of these vitamins, vitamin D, has been in the limelight scientifically for several years. An adult needs around 20 µg of
EUROIMMUN US exhibited at the American Society of Nephrology (ASN) Kidney Week 2014, the premier international nephrology meeting, in Philadelphia November 11th-16th. More than 13,000 professionals participated and the EUROIMMUN attendees reported on valuable feedback regarding anti-PLA2R antibodies, the new biomarker of primary membranous nephropathy. “ASN went very well”, concluded Todd Walbrun, the National Accounts
There are diseases whose pathogenesis has been known for decades. The actual cause, however, remains a secret despite intensive research. For decades, it has been known that deposits of immune complexes are formed along the basal membrane of the glomerulus in membranous nephropathy (previously known as membranous glomerulonephritits), causing tissue inflammation and impairment of kidney filtration. But the antigen which is targeted by
The discovery of autoantibodies against the phospholipase A2 receptor 1 (PLA2R) is considered a milestone in nephrology research. They are the first described serological marker for primary membranous nephropathy. Their value in membranous nephropathy diagnostics is the subject of many recent publications. Primary and secondary membranous nephropathy: differential diagnosis essential Membranous nephropathy is the major cause of nephrotic syndrome in
